Audemars Piguet Royal Oak: 50 Years of History (From its Birth to 1986)

Since its launch on April 15, 1972, Audemars Piguet's Royal Oak has brought about an unprecedented revolution in the history of watchmaking. Its hand-finished stainless steel case designed by Gérald Genta, octagonal bezel secured with hexagonal screws, elegant integrated bracelet, and slim automatic movement have continued to fascinate people for 50 years. This two-part series will explore the history of this watch since its birth.

The story behind the birth of the Royal Oak

　Inspired by the cultural and industrial revolution of the 1970s and launched at the beginning of the so-called quartz crisis, the Royal Oak heralded a new era in which sporty presence combined with traditional watchmaking know-how to adapt to changing lifestyles.

　Over the years, the Royal Oak evolved into a separate collection, with sizes, materials, styles, and movements evolving. With over 500 models designed over the past 50 years, the Royal Oak has become a cultural icon in the watch industry.

　The price of that success has been that Royal Oaks are becoming increasingly hard to find at authorized dealers and are fetching four to five times the price on the secondary market, much to the frustration of collectors.

　So let's take a look back at the early days of this watch.

　In 1970, an Audemars Piguet distributor noticed a change in customer tastes and proposed a challenge to the brand: Georges Golay, then president of the brand, commissioned Gérald Genta, an experienced jeweler and watch designer, to design an entirely new type of stainless steel sports watch.

As enthusiasts know, the name "Royal Oak" comes from the portholes of the British warship HMS Royal Oak, a ship with a cannon mounted on its hull, made of oak and reinforced with stainless steel.

　Throughout its long history, the Royal Navy has named several ships "HMS Royal Oak" after the Royal Oak tree where King Charles II of England hid after defeating Cromwell at the Battle of Worcester in 1651.

　Gérald Genta is said to have completed the design of the Royal Oak in one night, a true stroke of genius.

　The team that inherited Gérald Genta's design was made up of some of the most skilled craftsmen in the industry: Stern Frères created the famous guilloched Petite Tapisserie dial, Favre & Pellet created the stainless steel case, and Gayfreir created the one-piece stainless steel bracelet. Because stainless steel is a hard and difficult material to work with, the first prototype was crafted in the more workable white gold.

　The integrated bracelet alone is made up of 154 components, including 20 individual links, making it one of the most complex bracelets in the watch industry. Furthermore, the surfaces of both the bracelet and the case are highly refined, combining satin and polished finishes, both of which were completed in-house at Audemars Piguet.

"The idea for the Royal Oak was born in 1970, as a proposal from distributors who questioned the marketing value of gold in promoting luxury watches – a mindset that would be unimaginable today," said Georges Galay. "They asked for a stainless steel watch suited to the modern lifestyle: sporty and elegant, suitable for both evening wear and everyday use."

　Thus, on April 15, 1972, the most expensive stainless steel watch on the market (priced at 3300 Swiss francs at the time) was unveiled at the Basel Fair, causing a real stir and eliciting a lot of opposition and sometimes criticism (though Genta was no stranger to such situations).

　The start seemed bleak, given skeptical customer reactions and difficulties encountered during production and delivery, but the first 490 pieces were sold out in early 1972, a record for Audemars Piguet and a sign of continued commercial success.

　The watch's unique design captivated those who first encountered it. In 1975, Alain Delon wore one in the film "Boomerang." Collectors such as Gianni Agnelli, the iconic Fiat executive, also emerged. Designer Karl Lagerfeld followed suit, wearing the first "black" model with an aftermarket finish. Lagerfeld wore his Royal Oak on his shirt wrist, just like Gianni Agnelli.

　For four years, Audemars Piguet carefully produced only the now-famous Ref. 5402. It wasn't until 1976 that the first women's Royal Oak (Ref. 8638), designed by Jacqueline Dimier and measuring 29mm, was released.

The expansion of Royal Oak variations since 1977

　From 1977 onwards, these two models were introduced in yellow gold, white gold, and stainless steel/yellow gold variants, creating a full-fledged collection. Audemars Piguet also introduced the mid-size Ref. 4100, measuring 35mm, solidifying its place among men's watches. No longer an anomaly, the Royal Oak was becoming a promising watch.

　Surprisingly, and remarkably, the Royal Oak proved resilient to the 1980s. Moving on from the 5402, Audemars Piguet expanded its range of looks with new sizes and materials.

　Platinum and pink gold were also added to the materials available, and many of the dials and bezels of these precious timepieces were set with diamonds.

　Research into new movements also progressed in parallel with this creative diversity. Keeping up with the times, the Royal Oak was introduced with a quartz movement in 1980. Initially reluctant to incorporate this technology into its flagship collection, Audemars Piguet experimented with it in a separate collection, the Ref. 6005, named "Quartz," in 1978. Unfortunately, this collection, with its rectangular case, was not very successful.

　This quartz movement borrowed aesthetic elements from the Royal Oak, such as the case shape and the bracelet's combination of brushed and polished finishes. However, the bezel was no longer octagonal or adorned with eight hexagonal screws. Over the course of ten years, six different quartz movements were available, with case sizes ranging from 26mm to 36mm in diameter. At least 59 models were produced.

　While experimenting with quartz technology, Audemars Piguet also revived traditional complications in its mechanical models. In 1983, it introduced the first Royal Oak with a date display (Ref. 5572) in a 36mm case available in stainless steel, yellow gold, white gold, and two-tone stainless steel and yellow gold.
　
　　This watch with a calendar display was followed by the Reference 5554 in 1984, and in 1978, the Reference 5548 was released, equipped with a central rotor automatic 2120/2800 movement and becoming the world's thinnest perpetual calendar.

In 1986, Audemars Piguet introduced the Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar (Ref. 25636). This 18K yellow gold watch was the first Royal Oak to feature a see-through caseback and a sapphire crystal caseback. These perpetual calendar models attracted the attention of collectors who admired traditional watchmaking, ushering in a new era for the Royal Oak.

(Continued in the second half)